International Space Station: Live updates

It’s landing day!

It’s landing day! Cosmonaut Oleg Novitsky, who is wrapping up a six-month stay in space, and a Russian actor Yulia Peresild and director Klim Shipenko, who have spent less than two weeks in orbit, are headed back to Earth.

If you’re thinking of tuning in, check out our full guide to today’s landing webcasts.

The trio will say their goodbyes at about 4:15 p.m. EDT (2015 GMT) before climbing into the Soyuz MS-18 capsule, which will undock from Russia’s Nauka module of the International Space Station on Saturday (Oct. 16) at 9:14 p.m. EDT (0114 GMT on Oct. 17) for the trip home.

The capsule, slowed by parachutes, will land in Kazakhstan on Sunday (Oct. 17) at 12:36 a.m. EDT (0436 GMT; 10:36 a.m. local time).

NASA TV and Space.com will offer live coverage of all three milestones, so stay tuned!

Megan McArthur shares stunning Earth timelapse

Lightning storms, auroras and city lights glow across planet Earth in this gorgeous new timelapse video captured by NASA astronaut Megan McArther at the International Space Station. 

“Friday Night Lightning!” McArthur tweeted. “Checkout this time lapse taken over Africa from our cupola. In addition to thunderstorms, you can see city lights, the Milky Way, satellites, and even a bit of aurora at the end.” 

Russian film crew boards space station

Russian actress Yulia Peresild and producer-director Klim Shipenko have entered the International Space Station with their cosmonaut guide Anton Shkaplerov to begin their 12-day movie shoot in orbit.

The trio entered the station’s Rassvet module at about 11 a.m. EDT (1500 GMT), jus about 6 hours after launching into orbit on their Soyuz rocket. They joined seven other crewmembers already aboard the station, including Expedition 65 cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, who will appear in the film Peresild and Shipenko are shooting. It’s called “The Challenge,” with Peresild portraying a surgeon sent into orbit to help a cosmonaut (Novitskiy) in medical distress. 

“I still feel that it’s all a dream and I’m still asleep,” Peresild, 37, told Russia’s Channel One during a welcome ceremony on the station. 

Shipenko agreed. 

“Yes, it’s almost impossible to think that this all came to reality,” the 38-year-old director said.

During the welcome ceremony, Peresild received a congratulatory call from Valentina Tereshkova, who became the first woman in space in 1963 on the Vostok 6 mission. 

“It was extremely emotional for everyone, from sadness to happiness,” Tereshkova said of the launch in Russian, which was translated on NASA TV. “We’re very proud of you,” she added, saying she had only one wish for the crew.

“Everything should go nominal, that’s our best wish,” Tereshkova said. “We want all your dreams to come true and we’ll be waiting for you back here on Earth.”

Hatch Opening Underway

Astronauts on the International Space Station are now working to open the hatches between the station and the Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft, allowing the Russian film crew to enter the orbiting lab.

Space station hatch opening delayed

Russian mission control officials have told the station and Soyuz crews that hatch opening will occur in about an hour, a bit later than planned.

We’re awaiting a new hatch opening target time from NASA.

Russian film crew to enter space station

The Russian film crew that launched to the International Space Station today on a Soyuz spacecraft is preparing to enter the orbiting laboratory for the first time. Hatches between the space station and their Soyuz MS-19 are due to be opened at 10:05 a.m. EDT (1405 GMT). 

You can watch the hatch opening and a welcome ceremony live in the NASA TV video feed at the top of this page.

Amazing views of Soyuz docking with Russian film crew

Today’s successful docking of a Russian film crew at the International Space Station had some star quality of its own. As the Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft carrying Russian actress Yulia Peresild, director Klim Shipenko and cosmonaut Anton Shklaperov neared the station, a camera on the orbiting lab captured spectacular views of the approaching spacecraft. 

Check out the views in the video above!

Docking! Soyuz delivers Russian film crew to space station

The Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft carrying a Russian actress and her producer/director has successfully docked at the International Space Station. It linked up with a port on the station’s Rassvet module at 8:22 a.m. EDT (1222 GMT), about 10 minutes later than planned after communications issues forced cosmonaut Anton Shklaperov to take manual control of the Soyuz for the docking. 

Despite the communications issue, Shklaperov docked the Soyuz at its port to deliver Russian actress Yulia Peresild and producer-director Klim Shipenko to the station. The duo will film scenes for an upcoming space film called “The Challenge,” with Peresild portraying a surgeon launched into space to help an ailing cosmonaut, to be portrayed by cosmonaut Oleg Novitskiy, who is already aboard the space station.

“So the Soyuz MS-19’s safely at port, and a Russian actress and her producer-director are on set at the International Space Station for 12 days of movie making,” NASA spokesperson Rob Navias said during live commentary.

Peresild, Shipenko and Shklaperov will enter the space station at 10:05 a.m. EDT (1405 GMT) when the hatches are due to open between the Soyuz and station. NASA’s live coverage will resume at 9:30 a.m. EDT (1330 GMT). 

Live docking coverage has begun

NASA’s webcast for today’s Soyuz docking at the International Space Station has begun. The Soyuz MS-19 spacecraft will dock its Russian film crew and cosmonaut commander at the station at 8:12 a.m. EDT (1212 GMT).

Soyuz reaches orbit with Russian film crew

Spacecraft separation! The Soyuz spacecraft carrying cosmonaut Anton Shklaperov, actress Yulia Peresild and director Klim Shipenko has successfully reached orbit after separating from its third stage and deploying solar arrays. 

‘We’re feeling great, everything’s working nominally’ Soyuz commander Shklaperov reports.

The three space travelers are on a two-orbit trip to the International Space Station and will arrive at 8:12 a.m. EDT (1212 GMT). NASA’s docking coverage will begin at 7:30 a.m. EDT (1130 GMT). You can watch that in the window at the top of this page at start time.

LIFTOFF! Russian film crew launches to space station

Liftoff! The Soyuz rocket carrying a Russian film crew to the International Space Station lifted off on time at 4:55 a.m. EDT (0855 GMT). 

Russian film crew before launch

Here are a few views of the Soyuz MS-18 crew taken in the hours before launch. NASA TV is showcasing their pre-flight activities with a series of video clips as we near the T-10 minute mark for launch. 

Russia launching film crew to International Space Station

Russia is counting down to launching the world’s first film crew to the International Space Station on a Soyuz spacecraft. Liftoff is set for 4:55 a.m. EDT (0855 GMT) from Launch Site 31 at Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan. 

The Soyuz is carrying Russian actress Yulia Perselid and director Klim Shipenko alongside veteran cosmonaut Anton Shklaperov. Perselid and Shipenko will spend 12 days in space filming scenes for a feature film called “The Challenge” while Shklaperov will begin a months-long stay on the space station. 

The trio are currently tucked inside their Soyuz spacecraft and rocket as they await launch.